"Aye they can," said Kate, though in the older classes she often found the girls more difficult to deal with. The boys misbehaved openly. The girls would giggle about everything she said and make her feel insecure. "Mrs. Murphy says I'm well on schedule for my yearly exam. I just worry about my stitches... They're still so messy."

"I can help you," Anne spoke up quietly. "I was good at sewing."

"That's a very kind thing for you to do, Anne." Lottie turned to her husband "Do ye expect work to be busy dear?"

Anne smiled shyly and looked down.

There was a knock on the door.

Maybe that was Joe! Lottie rose from her seat and made her way quickly to the front door. It was a boy, just not Joe. Lottie thought he looked familiar but she couldn't place him.

"Yes, lad, can I help ye?"

"Hello, Mrs. Blacke," said the boy. "Me sister Anne has gone missing. My father sent me to see if she was 'ere."

"Yer father sent ye did he? He didn't come himself?  Shame on him," sendin' a boy to do a man's work - she added but did not say aloud "Yer sister Anne isn't missin', she's inside havin' 'some tea." Lottie shouted back inside the house "Anne, yer brother's 'ere. Do ye want to talk to him?"

Anne tensed up. Of course they would come looking for her. But it had been lovely not to think of that for a bit. She put her cutlery down, stood up nervously and made her way to the door.

"Es lookin' elsewhere, ma'm," the boy said defensively. Then he saw his sister. "Ye should 'ave told da you were havin' yer tea here. We've been lookin' all over town for ye. Ye'll be in for it now!"

"Listen well lad, nowt will lay a finger on this girl in my house. Tell yer father, if he wants to speak to her, he's to come 'ere imself"